Why seniors should consider taking supplements

by Power Run EnergyOctober 25, 2018

When you've reached a certain age, some changes in your body are inevitable. You may lose your appetite, your metabolism gets slower, your muscle mass decreases, your joints become more fragile… However, that doesn’t mean that you become less active! On the contrary, when you get older, it’s the perfect occasion to start exercising daily again! That is why taking food supplements can become very useful when you’ve reached your 50s. Let’s see together how you can stay in shape when you get older and what supplements you should take to boost your physical condition.

Why take supplements?

The deterioration of muscle mass is inevitable when you've reached a certain age. This phenomenon called Sarcopenia causes a decrease in your muscle mass and your strength. Your bones also become more fragile, they break more easily and as for your joints, they become more painful every day. That is why it’s important to change some of your habits and adopt a healthier lifestyle to cope with the changes your body undergoes.

A research from McMaster University has shown that taking supplements could make a great difference for older adults. The study was made on a group of men aged 70 who took supplements mainly composed of whey protein for 6 weeks and then followed a progressive exercise training program for another 12 more weeks. The final results were amazing! In the first 6 weeks, they observed a gain of 700 grams in lean body mass! This is the exact amount of lean body mass men this age who do not exercise lose in a year.

What should you take?

Your diet might not be enough to bring you all the nutrients that you need when you’ve reached a certain age, especially if you exercise daily! That is why we believe that adding supplements to your diet might help you.

Whey protein is especially full of health benefits! They are great for your bones since a portion contains 20% of the recommended daily intake of calcium. Moreover, there are 35g of proteins in a serving which is incredible for your muscles!

To fight cell aging and joints pain, nothing better than an antioxidant mix of fruits or vegetables to get a boost of Vitamin C. It’s also a great way to get your fibres at the same time!

You can also try magnesium supplements since, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, magnesium helps boost the physical performances of seniors!

What about sport?

To conclude, supplements alone are not enough, they should be associated with an exercise routine for better results! Strengthtraining is highly recommended along with activities such as cycling or walking to stay in shape and take care of your muscles.